Snake Charmer
by LetoSai
Summary: Dani was a no body in every sense the word. Uneasy in the world, withering away was looking like the best idea. She didn't know a certain man would put himself through a lot to prove she was Queen enough for him. So much so that no other would do.


One-Shot.  
PART 5.  
Enjoy.

* * *

Dani sighed softly to herself, hugging her coat tight around her body. The midst of her winter shopping had proved to be successful but with the weather so nippy and the wind picking up, she was starting to think she should have gone the online route. The cold air was doing a number on her, but at least she had a warm car to go back too.

"Are you ready to go, your Highness?" Cole asked. He stood by her side has he had throughout her entire day's worth of shopping, even the more embarrassing parts.

She patted his arm, "Please don't call me that in public. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"As many times as you want." He smiled a little. He had been her personal guard since she had learned about their world. To anyone else he was an aggressive monster that couldn't possible be trusted. To Dani, there was no one more loyal. He'd die protecting her.

"Well, I'm ready." She smiled at him, letting him lead her to the car. She had fought him at first but there was really no way she could change things now. Not since she'd become a snake charmer. Once she realized that she tried to take things in stride.

Cole nodded. "We'll go, and I'll hide your presents so the others won't find them. Nosy lot. Like children."

Dani smiled wide, knowing it was true. "Yeah, at least if they do find them they won't know they're from me."

"Yes the will." Cole laughed. "No one else would put so much thought into their gifts but you, your Highness. The previous bitch certainly never did. Gift giving was foreign to her."

She nodded slowly; feeling slightly put out by the mention of her predecessor, whom she had never met. Months before she didn't know a thing about the other inner world. The flipped side that held magical creatures. She didn't know their were immortal elements and faery's and animals that held titles that looked more like people then animals. She didn't know magic existed.

"Let's get out of the cold." Cole said, hugging Dani closer to his side to share his body heat and leading her off to the car that waited for them.

-/-

Months before she had been a no body in every sense of the word. She had self-diagnosed herself as agoraphobic and seldomly left her home. She had no job, was on her verge of being evicted, and was dangerously skinny. There were time when withering away didn't sound like a bad idea. The friends she had had in her youth didn't exactly stick by her side, and only really came to check up on her as a cause for new gossip.

She had become 'that poor girl' and 'what went wrong with her'.

The first time she had left her house in weeks was only for a trip to the corner store, and that one event was what set everything in motion.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled automatically after bumping into a man. She kept her head down and didn't even bother to excuse herself further. Walking over to the chilled section she picked up a few prepackaged sandwiches, hoping she'd have enough change for them. Soon she'd have to look for a way to get money again. The thought made her cringe.

"Are you alright, Miss?" The man she'd bumped into asked, brushing a strand of her caramel colored hair out of the way so he could examine her face. Her dark brown eyes almost widened in shock before she pulled away hastily.

"Fine." She mumbled, almost flinching.

He dropped his hand and nodded, looking momentarily pained himself.

Dani held her items to her chest as she made her way to the register and tried to ignore the man moving up behind her. When she set her sandwiches down and dug through her pockets for change she was interrupted.

"I got it." The man said, setting two bottles of soda and a bottle of water down before handing the clerk the bills to pay for everything.

Dani stayed quietly, watching the transaction and grabbing her sandwiches to leave before either of them could argue. It was nice to leave with the change still in her pocket but at what cost?

"Hey!" The man yelled, running after her. "Are you sure you're alright, hon? You look dead on your feet."

"You offered to pay. I didn't ask. I don't owe you anything." Dani said quickly, eyes on the sidewalk as she continued on.

"I didn't ask for anything." he pointed out, tugging her arm to pull her to a stop and slipping one of the soda's and the bottle of water into her arms. "You're exhausted aren't you? Are you ill?"

"I'm neither, now leave me alone." She said softly, refusing to look at him as she wandered of again. This time relieved that he wasn't following her anymore, but with the drinks in her arms now along with her dinner she couldn't help but feel she'd just been treated.

-/-

Attached to the door was a note. Several actually, which she had ignored when leaving. One was the bank, well; most of them were the bank. Others were bills of some kind and the last one was from one of her so-called friends. Her phone had been cut off and she didn't own a computer so it was probably one of them begging for the usual updates. She ignored them all, going inside to enjoy her feast.

After that night things had started off slow. Knocks at the door that she would ignore like always and later when she would check to see what they left she was surprised to see all the envelopes removed from her door and a basket left in it's place. One filled full of fruits and cookies.

The confusion grew from there but who was she to deny food that was given to her, even if it was a possible mistake.

From there it grew. More fruits, small roasted chickens, breads. Someone was certainly trying to get her fed. After the first initial time, no one ever knocked again so she couldn't catch who was leaving her the treats and keeping her from possible starvation.

She stopped getting her little visitors and never saw another envelope pinned to the door again.

It wasn't until her phone rang that she was so startled she nearly leapt out of her skin. Her phone had been turned off for months and the sudden high ring was not what she had expected in her quiet little house. Instead on answering she let the machine pick it up and was confused when it was a message for her-Ms. Danielle Luxington.

Banks and companies continued to call informing her that thanks to her bills being paid she wouldn't plummet into bankruptcy. Everything was already paid in full or damn near paid.

As comforting as it was, she felt the world fall out from under her. She never should have left such important papers out for all to see or anyone to take. Sure, everything was paid but by who?

Working herself up into a panic she felt near tears. The doorbell rang once more and against her better judgement she raced to it. Hoping it wasn't someone she knew, while equally hoping it wasn't someone she didn't.

Opening the door, Dani was met with no one. No one but a terrifyingly huge boa constricted that rested in a tank that was as equally huge.

"What the hell." She muttered softly. This was far from a fruit basket.

For a good few minutes she just stared down into the tank and felt horrible for the creature she had to assume was abandoned. With a sigh she decided to drag him inside and was easily more surprised to find the tank was on wheels and it rolled in nicely.

She couldn't imagine anyone just dropping off things that were so expensive.

"Okay, so this isn't nuts." she said to herself, staring at the pretty creature who just looked up at her. He seemed to be as interested in her as she was in him.

Against her better judgement she removed the lid and peered inside and was met with the tongue from the enormous snake. With a yelp she went crashing backwards and watched the boa emerge at a steady pace and inch towards her.

"Okay, don't be stupid." She muttered to herself. "Even all skin and bones I'm too big for him to eat."

Slowly he coiled around her once and rested his head on her lap.

Swallowing away her fear she reached out to stroke his head gently. "Guess you have a lot of contact with people." she mused, trying to talk her fear away. "I guess that makes sense."

For whatever reason, he seemed perfectly content in her lap, and over the next few days that was usually where he was found. The deliveries of food kept coming and the boa seemed to have no trouble helping her with the bits of meat sent.

"I feel bad." She muttered, either talking to herself or talking to the boa constrictor that had become her companion. "I'm really pathetic, you know? I can't even take care of myself and someone leaves you here with me. Only reason you're probably not dead is cause of the mice in the basement. Got someone feeding me and I don't even know who it is. Can't even manage a thank you that way, can I?"

The boa stayed curled up at her side and would oddly enough, make eye contact like he was listening. She felt more at piece with the animal then she ever did with people. People intimidated her, snakes, apparently didn't.

Her boa rarely ever stayed in his tank, and usually even spent his nights in her bed. It was the first time she found an embrace that didn't terrify her. Even waking up with a snake in her bed wasn't as bad as it sounded. Not to her anyway, not at first.

-/-

It had been nearly a month before she woke up with a numbing feeling taking over her arm after the smallest of pricks. At first she thought she'd just slept on it wrong but she rolled over to find her boa almost looming over her.

The numbing ran up her shoulder and down her side until a very real fear started to grow in her for the first time in weeks. The feeling crossed across her breast, stomach and leg until she thought her body was failing her in some way.

It wasn't until tears ran down her face that the boa seemed to react at all.

He arched up oddly until he wasn't a snake at all, but a very naked man leaning over her. It wasn't the face she recognized. Not the concerned black eyes and or light dusty blond hair. It wasn't the fact that the man was too beautiful for words. Definitely not someone forgettable. It was his voice that triggered recognition.

"Are you all right?" He asked softly. "Are you in pain?"

"You." She muttered, her voice breaking with only the one word. He had followed her home after all. He'd bought her dinner and had apparently been doing so ever since.

He smiled warmly, reaching up to brush her tears away. "My name is Piper. A pleasure to finally tell you so, Dani."

She felt her heart, lungs, and probably a few other organs lodge in her throat. It wasn't possible for a snake to turn into a man or visa versa. Gripping the sheets helplessly she almost whimpered from fear.

"Are you in pain?" He stroked his thumb down her cheek.

"What have you done?" Dani asked in a small voice. She couldn't even accuse him of having broken in when she was the one who opened the door and invited him.

He smiled guiltily. "I bit you."

Dani's eyes widened in alarm.

"Shh." He said, pressing a finger to her lips to prevent any possible screaming. "I'm not really sure how it's supposed to work, hon. I've never come across a snake charmer before."

She gave him a clear disbelieving look, still unable to move half her body. Trembling seemed to be the only thing she could mange. Noticing this right off, he laid down, curling up at her side with his arms wrapped around her.

"I've been looking for a Queen." He murmured against her ear. The roughness of his voice was enough to force heat into her face. "You see, baby, I'm a snake. Obviously." He nipped at her ear lightly. "And I've just recently come into power."

Dani swallowed nervously.

"I killed the previous King Vex and his bitch Queen Tanis. They were going to kill us all and I wasn't about to let that happen." He pressed himself to her side and she couldn't stop thinking about the fact that she could feel him despite her side being numb. She hated that being on her mind more so then the fact that he just admitted to killing people.

"I came into power then. Since then, I've been searching for my Queen. I could have had my pick of our girls but none of them really do anything for me if you know what I mean." He continued.

"And?" She asked nervously.

His eyes softened. "Guess you could say I've had my heart set on you since I first laid eyes on you. Do you know what snake charmers are to us?"

Dani stayed quiet now, shrinking away from him.

"A Goddess." He said, pressing his lips just under her ear. "A snake charmer is pure beauty to us. Life, pure magic, a connection between us. We're drawn to them like a bear to honey. They're nearly nonexistent anymore. To find someone with a snake charmers blood is nearly impossible."

She shook her head back and forth, refusing to believe what he was saying.

"I am a snake." He mused, stroking her cheek with the most gentle of touches. "You are a charmer, and you'll be my Queen. No one can love you like I can."

"No one does anyway." Dani muttered more to herself.

Piper knelt slowly, making her pulse speed up and turn away but he cupped her face to prevent it, forcing her to look at him. "I know your secretes, Dani. You talked to me because you were lonely. Lonely because you can not connect with people the way you can connect with me. I'll take care of you."

"I'll tell you what I told you when you bought my dinner." She said softly. "I didn't ask for your help. You don't get to ask for something in return."

Piper smiled. "Like buying your home, paying your bills and making sure you won't starve yourself? It was terrifying to see you so weak that first time I saw you. You're so fragile to begin with but you were letting yourself die."

"And?"

He almost pouted, but a more distraught look was behind his eyes. "And you are a beautiful charmer, Dani. That's what I thought at first but it's nothing to do with that anymore. You are a beautiful person. It's who you are. I've spent almost every waking moment with you since I sent myself to you. I know you. You're heart was too kind to shun a creature and you took care of me. Let me take care of you now."

"You're a snake." She finally said. "You bit me."

"Yes." He said almost smugly. "I bound you to me with that bite. You're not a snake like me but that doesn't matter. You're my Queen regardless."

Dani stared up at him. "You can't decide that for me."

He leaned down, brushing his lips against hers in a soft kiss that turned into fire. It was suddenly like drinking a hot liquid that poured down her throat. Unable to pull away from him, she arched closer until she thought she wouldn't he able to breathe.

Never had a kiss done that to her. Never had her inside twisted into knots.

"Now it's official." He nearly purred. "You won't be getting away from me so easily my darling. You'll stay with me until our reign comes crashing down."

A dark blush crossed her face and the parts of her body that had been numb before were as on fire as her lips were. The steady warmth spread through her until she was sure she could hear his heart beat along with her own.

"You can't just…"

"I can." He interrupted. "I can do just that. We were meant for one another."

She shook her head. "I'm not a…whatever it is you are."

"No, you're not a snake. You're not from the inner world the way I am, but you are a snake charmer. You have magic swelling inside you begging to get out. I can help you with that. I can heal the wounds you've acquired. Erase them."

"You can't." she said almost helplessly. "You can't buy my home and sneak into my place and tell me everything's gonna be okay."

Piper smiled, brushing his lips against hers. "Yes. Yes, I can."

-/-

Dani somehow managed to fall asleep by his side but it wasn't the last of him. Silly, she thought it was just a dream. She thought she would wake up next to her boa and not a man, the joke was on her. Near black eyes met hers as soon as she pulled herself from sleep and his arm anchored around her waist kept her in placed where she curled up against him.

"This isn't real." She groaned.

"Oh no, my Queen, this is very real." Piper smiled, squeezing her hip playfully.

By the time she'd actually managed to get up she was in for more surprises. The first one being a multitude of men wandering her home.

She stared down into her house from the staircase, shaking her head helpless.

"Wow, she's gorgeous now that she been fed." One mused as he peered up at her. It drew the others attention immediately.

"Like a Queen should." A second mused.

"And she'll be treated with the respect she deserves or I'll geld you." Piper said, walking down the hall behind her. Where he found clothes, she hadn't the faintest idea. He took her hand and led her down the stairs and gestured to them. "Malcolm and Jeffery. If you have any needs they'll see to them,"

Dani just stared.

"The other two are Patrick and Cedric. Also will see to any needs should you have them." Piper continued.

"Why are they in my house?" Dani stared. No one had actually ever really wanted to come in before.

Malcolm pouted. "You don't want us here, your Highness?"

"Probably just doesn't need you staring at her." Patrick muttered, he seemed to be doing his best to keep his attention off of her, as if sensing she didn't like them focusing on her.

"Are all snakes guys or something?" Dani muttered, more so to herself then to them.

"The girls are a little jealous right now." Piper whispered to her, nipping at her ear again until she turned a bright red.

"Hell, I think we all are." Jeffery mused. "Majesty, your Queen is just lovely."

Dani looked up at him, feeling a lump in her throat. "Are they staying here? Are you?"

The men chuckled quietly but kept their mouths firmly shut. They knew better then to take on the bigger snake. Even if he had just degraded himself but acting as her pet, he was now practically invincible with a pretty snake charmer as his mate.

"Them? No. More then likely they'll be frequent visitors but they have their own homes. I will, yes." He cupped her face and kissed her until she thought the heat of it would make her dizzy. "We'll stay together."

She did her best to suppress her shiver and nodded weakly, heart swelling with an emotion she hadn't had in a long time.

-/-

"Are you well, Highness?" Cole asked, giving her a worried look as the car pulled into the driveway. "You've been awfully quiet the whole way home."

"Yes, thank you." She smiled softly at him. She'd become fond of the snakes in the last few months. They didn't enter her space without permission and they had all become just as fond of her. She had a strange kindness to her that was easy to see once her guarded walls had been taken away.

"You're not ill?" he asked again, watching her as she got out of the car. He walked around to get her bags but still remained aware of her.

Dani nodded. "I've been thinking a little to hard I think. My focus is all over the place."

"You looked peaceful enough." He observed.

"Good thoughts." She agreed. "Thanks for coming with me."

Cole smiled. "My pleasure, your Highness. I'm here to aid you in any way possible."

She smiled, sticking her tongue out at him childishly as she made her way inside. The warmth that hit her suddenly was much appreciated. Lucky the snakes liked it so warm.

"There you are, baby." Piper smiled, coming down the staircase. He had a book in his hand and wore a pair of reading glasses that oddly enough, made him look better then usual. "You have a good time?"

"Yep, got all the stuff you were too lazy to get and then some." Dani said, taking her coat off and hanging it up.

Piper made a face. "I do hate to shop. Glad you like it so much."

"Whiner." Cole teased good-naturedly as he slipped inside, shutting the door behind him and wandering off to hide the bags as promised.

"Don't you start!" Piper yelled after him.

"Don't you either." Dani rolled her eyes, smiling still.

Piper looked to her with a gentle gaze. "Baby, you look like you're freezing." He wrapped his arms around her. "You are freezing."

"Its called winter." Dani said, snuggling into his embrace. The relationship may have started off on a rocky road but he was every bit as loving as he promised to be. He taught her about the alphas and dominants in the inner magic world. Taught her about the immortals and magic creatures.

That world accepted her with open arms in a way the normal world never could, or at least in a way she never allowed it too.

"Minx." He murmured against her hair. "Come. I'll warm you up."

She smiled up at him. "I'm still not telling you what I got you. You'll have to wait like everyone else."

Piper chuckled, leaning down to kiss her, his mouth warm against hers. "We'll just see about that baby. Don't forget, no one knows you better then me..."

* * *

Thanks for reading! ^_^

If you don't know already this is part 5 in a series of one-shots. Go to my profile to find the first 4 parts.

The River's Huntress- The Illusive Wind- Cradled in the Dryads Tender Care- Lightning bugs

Please review!


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